I really don't need advice but wonder how others would view this...I was a cancer nurse for many years and gave doctor ordered chemotherapy to patients in the hospital. Gradually, I decided that chemotherapy was not the ideal therapy for cancer and that I had inadvertantly harmed people while thinking I was helping them. So what would my culpability be in contributing to their ultimate deaths? Any thoughts?
Don't worry I have resolved this issue in my mind but it is a good example of how wrong doing or 'sin' is pretty much in the mind of each individual...
So would God hold me accountable or is my Karma bad?
2007-05-01 10:06:47 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes I did stop working as a chemo nurse!
2007-05-01 10:11:35 · update #1
This is a question that's really close to me right now. My dad has colon cancer and is dying. He refused chemo because it's not a good choice. Oh, he was past the point where the doctors thought it would really make a difference anyway, their words not mine. I think it's simply a way to make lots of money and not helping people.
Personally I don't think a God would hold you responsible for this. The reason being the doctors and the people agreed to this choice of therapy. So it was out of your hands.
As to karma, no I don't think so for the same reason I stated above.
*hugs* It just seems like you could use a hug.
2007-05-01 10:12:54 · answer #1 · answered by Janet L 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, you're fine. You honestly believed you were doing the best thing and once you realized what was really going on with you, you got out of the situation. You were 'just following orders', but unlike the Nazis who used the same excuse, you were actually trying to help people. It's not like the doctors were evil men who convinced you to help them harm people by allowing you to benefit from it somehow.
I don't like how you seem to take partial blame for the deaths of others. If you think the chemo killed them, remember that they had cancer FIRST. Ultimately, the cancer is responsible and it most likely would have killed them anyway regardless of the treatment. No one forces anyone to take chemo and people are allowed to decline the treatment. You are not at fault and neither are the doctors who recommended it or the patients who accepted it.
2007-05-01 10:30:05 · answer #2 · answered by Pico 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Relax, not only were you doing what was ordered by the doctors, but you were also helping people. I understand that some of them probably did pass on, but think about how many went on to live good lives. The pain they went through during chemo was temporary.
I don't believe in sin or the christian god. But I do believe in a type of karma. I don't think that what was done would cause you bad karma.
Your work was to help people. It takes a special person to work with cancer patients. I hope this eases your mind some.
2007-05-01 10:22:32 · answer #3 · answered by meg3f 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lady- I wouldn't even feel guilty about that- you were trying to save lives going by the best of your knowledge... this is exactly why I am nice to Christians who give me friendly (mind you I said friendly) offers to join their Churches. They are doing what they feel is a good thing to help us and the intentions are there. If the act is in kindness, kindness is returned... but the same goes with hostility and forcefulness.
If you were replacing the chemo fluids with Chlorox, then I would think you deserved the same fate. BUT- regardless of the outcome, I think you were doing what you felt right. If there was a god that would look down on you for that- why would you even want him in your life?
2007-05-01 10:16:31 · answer #4 · answered by billthakat 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In this line of work, there are many different types of treatments people try to use to help themselves. If this was your job, and you learned through it , it wasn't helping people. then you would have to weight it in your mind. Are you certain for a fact it wasn't helping people? or just certain people? With all medications there are going to be some bad reactions, some no reactions, and some good ones. All people know the risks before given the treatment and they make that decision. So..NO don't feel bad, it was your job.
But, you have to be the one at the end of the day who has to know weather or not you did the right thing or not.
2007-05-01 10:14:50 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you have to perform actions as part of your proffesion that you are no longer happy with doing, I think its time for a career change.
PS, someone with a much higher education in medicine has decided in your case that the best form of treatment for those patients whas the chemotherapy, who are you to go over the doctors head?
2007-05-01 10:14:00 · answer #6 · answered by Tom B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say that you are innocent, at least mostly innocent, here. You honestly believed that you were doing the right thing, but then you became convinced that you were not. This is more of a mistake than a sin.
However, if you want to make sure, make your apologies to God. If a former patient or his/her survivors come to you with questions or accusations, apologize to them, too. I don't recommend seeking out your patients or their families just to relieve a guilty conscience.
2007-05-01 10:16:55 · answer #7 · answered by MNL_1221 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are not responsible for the patients death. you took a order from a doctor and followed through with his and the patients wishes. You did not force it on anyone. They freely took the chemicals. You were following orders just like a solider. A good solider listens to his commanding officer and does not second guess him. Your karma is just fine.
2007-05-01 10:12:53 · answer #8 · answered by momof3 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Bible doesn't say thou shalt not administer chemo...and once you ask forgiveness of your sins God has forgiven you and He says they are forgotten as far as the east is from the west. Which in and of itself is pretty amazing when you think about it. Once you start going east you can NEVER get to the point of going west. This is not true for north and south. God really does know what He is talking about =)
2007-05-01 10:20:45 · answer #9 · answered by cbmultiplechoice 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i'm a Buddhist,i don't know if u'll agree with my pov but since u asked:
u have no bad karma on your hands AT ALL. Buddha said that what we do is bad ONLY if we had the INTENTION to do so.i.e. u must have KNOWN that what u're doing is harming people and purposely done it.
since this is not the case and u never meant to harm anyone,u have done NOTHING wrong :)
2007-05-01 10:14:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋